In 2003, the 73 million children under the age of 18 in the U.S.
represented 25 percent of the total population. Young adults aged
20-24 represented 7.1 percent, adults aged 25-64 represented nearly
53 percent, and persons ages 65 and over represented 12 percent
of the total population. The median age in the U.S. for all races
was 35.9 years.

In the last decade, the number of children under 5 years of age
has increased by 0.2 percent, while the number of children ages
5-19 has increased by 12 percent. In the same period, the number
of persons aged 65 and over has increased by 9 percent.

Race and Ethnicity

Reflecting the trends in the general population, the population
of children has become increasingly diverse over the past several
decades. Since 1980, the percentage of children who are Hispanic
or Asian/Pacific Islander has doubled, as the percentage who are
non-Hispanic White has declined. Hispanic children represented 9
percent of children in 1980 and 18 percent in 2003; likewise, Asian/Pacific
Islander children represented 2 percent in 1980 and 4 percent in
2003. In the same period, the percentage of children who are White
dropped by 18 percent to represent 59 percent of the child population
in 2003, while the percentage who are Black remained stable. In
addition, nearly 3 percent of children were of more than one racial
group in 2003.

Child Health USA 2004 is not copyrighted.
Readers are free to duplicate and use all or part of the information contained
on this page. Suggested Citation: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,
Health Resources and Services Administration, Maternal and Child Health
Bureau. Child Health USA 2004. Rockville, Maryland: U.S. Department
of Health and Human Services, 2004.